Feed-controlling mechanism tor acetylene-gas generators



Aug. 25, 1925. Y 1,551,478

1 T. H. FROST FEED CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR ACETYLENE GAS GENERATORS Filed March 24, 1923 30 /67 I n H 7 ill I za 7 3 8 Q 8 v g INVENTOR.

A TTORNE Y.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS H. FROST, OF RIVERTON, WYOMING.

FEED-CONTROLLING MECHANISM FOR AGETYLENE-GA'S GENERATOBSt Application filed March 24, 1923. Serial No. 627,472.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS H. FRos'r,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Riverton, in the county of Fremont and State of Wyoming, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Feed-Controlling Mechanisms for Acetylene-Gas Generators, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

Thisinvention relates to acetylene gas generators, and particularly to those gen erators which are used for acetylene gas torches. 1

One of the objects of the invention is to provide very simple means for controlling i the feed of carbide from the hopper or carbide container into the generating chamber, and provide very simple means whereby the feed may becontrolled by the pressure of readily controlled from the exterior. of the apparatus so as to close the feed valve entirely,.open the feed valve, or. regulate the tension of the controlling spring,which in turn controls the automatic opening and closing of the feed valve.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which is adapted for use with either high or low pressure generators and which can be used with pressure up to 20 or 25 pounds.

Other objects will appear in the course of the following description. p

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through an acetylene gas generator constructed in accordance with my invention Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the diaphragm chamber and the" valve connections and adjusting connections therein Figure 3 is a fragmentary transverse sec tion through the lower end of the hopper, showingv the rest for supporting the head 40 of rod 39; i

Figure 4 is a section through the rod 39 looking toward the inside face of the casing 14; v I

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the agi- Referring to these drawings, 10 designates the gas generating and water containing chamber, which has a water level gauge 11 attached thereto and projecting gas within the generator and also out therefrom adjacent the upper level of the water and which preferably extends upward and which is provided with admin nozzle 12. Both the water level gauge nozzle and the drain nozzle are controlled by hand operated valves 13.

Extending upward from the generating chamber 10 and preferably forming an integral continuation thereof is a cylindrical wall 14 having ,an internal diameter smaller than that of the internal diameter of the generating chamber 10. The upper end of this wall 14 is laterally flanged, as at 15, and adapted to seat upon this flange 15 is a top 16 held to the flange in any suitable manner and having a central opening formed with an upstanding annular hub 17. A closure 18 rests upon this hub and a transversely extending brace 19 having inwardly turned ends engaging a flange 20 on the hub extends over this cover, and through the brace passes a screw 21 which holds the cover in place. 7

Disposed within the wall-14 is a carbide h0pper'22, the upper en (l of which is slightly flanged, as at 23, so as to engage a seat formedby the upper end of the wall 14 just inward of the point of contact of the closure 16. The lower end of, this hopper is formed with a discharge opening 24 and I adapted to close this opening is a hinged 14 is a pipe or duct 26, which at its upper end extends angularly outward and then extends downward and enters a chamber 27 which may be formed integral with the gas generating chamber lOor may be separately attached thereto, the pipe 26 extending down to the bottom'of this chamber. This chamber is intended to be filled with water to a level slightly above the water level gauge 28, and a drain nozzle 29 is provided for draining off the water when desired, this drain nozzle being, of course, provided with a valve, as is the gauge nozzle 28. The upper end of this chamber is formed with an-"angularly bent gas pipe 30 whereby gas'may be taken to an acetylene gas torch. A safety valve 31 is connected to the pipe 26 so as to blow off when and regulating the action of this valve, I mount upon the wall lt the base 32 of one section 33 of a diaphragm casing. The other section 34 of the diaphragm casing confronts the first named section and these sections are connected to each other by bolts. Disposed between the confronting margins of the diaphragm casing sections is a diaphragm 35 which may be made of metal, rubber, leather or any other suitable material, though preferably rubber is used. The diaphragm casing section has a central hub portion 36 interiorly screw-threaded for the passage of an adjusting screw 37. This adjusting screw at its inner end supports one end of a coiled compression spring 38, the opposite end of this spring bearing against the diaphragm 35 and being engaged therewith. It will be obvious that when the screw 37 is screwed inward, the tension on the spring 38 will be increased and its pressure upon the diaphragm will be increased and that contrariwise when the screw 35 is screwed outward the spring will be pulled outward and the diaphragm will be pulled outward.

Attached to the diaphragm 35 and extending through the central aperture of the base 32 and through a corresponding aperture in the wall 14 is a rod 39 which is many-sided in cross section and preferably square in cross section. The inner end of the rod 39 is formed with a cam or wedgeshaped portion etO, the upper face of which is horizontal from the inner end of the rod and then extends downward and forward preferably in a slight curve to the upper face of the rod 39, This rod is supported by means of an approximately tJ-shaped guide ll so that when the rod is pulled outward to its full extent it will hold the valve or door tightly closed and prevent the discharge of carbide from the carbide hopper. lVhen, however, the rod 39 is forced rearward the valve 25 will open by the pressure of the carbide inside the carbide container or hopper and carbide will be discharged.

The rod 39, as before remarked, is preferably square in cross section and in order to prevent this rod from rotating around its axis the rod passes through a forked guide 12 mounted upon the inner face of the wall 14. The guide 41 constitutes a rest approximately U-shaped and welded at each end to the outside of casing 14 to supportthe controlling rod. This construction eliminates joints, hinges, and prevents friction. The inner end of the screw 36 has a swiveled engagement with the spring 38, as at 4-3, so that a rotation of the screw will not act to rotate the spring 38 but merely act to force the spring bodily forward against the diaphragm. Preferably the lower end of the water container or gas generator 10 is inclined toward the drain pipe 12 and preferably an agitator 44 passes through the lower portion of the gas generator below the water line thereof so as to agitate any sludge which may collect and permit it to be drained off through the drain pipe.

It will be noted that in the practical use of this device, by turning the screw 37 to the left the spring is pushed against the dia- 7 phragm, thus pushing the control rod back and causing the door of the hopper to open. After once the door has been opened to the desired extent then the gas pressure within the gas generator will control the movement of the valve 25. Thus if the pressure increases gas will pass into the section 33 of the diaphragm housing, through the base 32, and around the rod and will press upon this diaphragm 35, forcing the diaphragm outward against the action of the spring 38 and, of course, reducing the open ing or entirely closing the valve 25. Therefore, as soon as the desired pressure has been obtained the diaphragm will cause the closing of the valve 25 until the pressure of gas within the chamber 10 has been relieved. This relieves the pressure on the diaphragm and the spring again presses the diaphragm inward and the control rod back, opening the valve of the hopper until the pressure rises to a sufiicient degree again. Vhcnever it is desired to stop the discharge of carbide from the hopper into the generating chamber, the screw may be 199 turned to the left, which draws outward on the sprin the diaphragm, and the rod 39 and causes the closing of the valve 25 by the action of the cam 40.

It will be seen that this mechanism is very simple, cannot readily get out of order, and that it provides absolute control by the operator of the gas pressure and of the opening of the valve.

While I do not wish to be limited to the use of this feed controlling mechanism with an acetylene gas generator of the character described, that is one wherein the generator forms part of a torch, yet I have specially designed this generator for use with a torch It is obvious, however, that the feed controlling mechanism might be used with any other form of generator.

I claim 2- 1. In an acetylene gas generator, a gencrating chamber, a hopper disposed above and discharging into the chamber, a downwardly opening valve controlling discharge from the hopper, a rod extending into the chamber at right angles to the axis thereof W5 and from the exterior of the chamber, said rod having on its inner end an upwardly facing cam, the cam being normally disposed beneath the valve and coacting with the valve to close the valve when the rod. is

pulled outward and permit the valve to open when the rod is pushed inward, and means operating automatically by gas pressure within the generating chamber whereby the rod may be shifted outward to cause the closing of the valve when the pressure is above a predetermined point and whereby the rod may be shifted inward to permit the valve to open when the pressure is reduced below a predetermined point.

- 2. An acetylene gas generator including a generating chamber and a carbide chamber having a discharge opening to the generating chamber, a downwardly opening valve controlling the discharge from the hopper, a rod extending laterally through the wall of the chamber and at right angles to the axis of the chamber and having at its inner end a cam coacting with said valve,

I the cam having a flat face and an upwardly inclined face intersecting the fiat face and disposed between the inner extremity of the rod and the wall of the chamber whereby when the rod is pulled outward the inclined face will ride against the valve to cause it to close and when the rod is pushed inward it will permit the valve to open, and pressure controlled means for operating said rod.

3. Inan acetylene gas generator, a generating chamber, a carbide chamber discharging into the generating chamber and having adownwardly opening valve, a rod extending through the wall of the generating chamber on a line below said valve and having a cam on its extremity coacting with the valve to close the valve when the rod is pulled outward and permit the opening of the valve when the rod is pushed inward, a diaphragm chamber mounted upon the wall of the generating chamber, a diaphragm therein operatively connected to the valve, the diaphragm chamber being open to pressure from within the generating chamber,

and a spring urging the rod .to a position to permit the opening ofthe valve.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature. 

